Goat production is rising as abattoirs come online

Goat meat may seem the poor cousin to beef and lamb but its production is on the rise again as the herd rebuild kicks in.

They are not kidding when they say that goat production is on the rise.

Figures from the first quarter of this year show goat meat production is the highest it has been for four years, with 7558 tonnes produced nationally from January to March.

This is 67 per cent higher than the same period last year, and a 30 per cent lift on production in the December quarter.

Production has lifted in Victoria and Queensland, put down to a switch from sheep to goat production in those states, while production and slaughter was also higher in South Australia.

The processing industry is responding to the swing to goat, with two goat abattoirs coming online, increasing capacity and helping to boost production figures.

A plant in Western Australia has started processing goats again, with production in that state lifting 7000 per cent according to data collected by the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

Another plant at Bourke, NSW, is now being operated by new owners who have changed it to a goat-only operation.

In Queensland, a Charleville processor has expanded its operation and now has the capacity to kill 7000 goats a week.

Meat and Livestock Australia market information analyst Jenny Lim said increased slaughter was most significant in Victoria and South Australia, which took goats from southern and western NSW.

“The market for goats is only strengthening, encouraging many producers to operate managed goat enterprises,” Ms Lim said.

“This movement has seen producers become more selective in what gets sent to the processors.

“This is causing carcass weights to ease slightly as producers are getting a discount for extremely heavy and light goats.

“However, even with goat carcass weights easing, production is rising within key goat-producing areas.”